The Use of Concluding Observations for Monitoring the Implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child

This paper is about monitoring progress on the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) using a selected survey of national coalitions of child rights NGOs. This is the first time case studies have been brought together in one document. By shedding light on the process in this way a bigger picture emerges, where experiences can be compared, ideas shared and common lessons drawn.
The Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child can be an effective tool for civil society and a means of engaging with governments, primarily responsible for implementation.This working paper examines the processes whereby national coalitions/NGOs use the Concluding Observations for monitoring purposes and identifies the internal and external factors that influence effective monitoring and advocacy. It explores national coalitions/NGOs’ perceptions of their role in monitoring and describes concrete achievements or failures that occurred in the process.